This week was probably the last big week of premieres for Fall 2014, and there were some spectacular performances that we couldn’t wait to award with Hypable Honors.

The CW stepped up to the plate this week as three of their more popular shows returned, but there were a few other notable premieres as well. Whether you watch American Horror Story or not, it’s easy to admit that there’s some quality work going on, and we couldn’t wait to highlight one of our absolute favorites.

Hypable Honors

Show: ‘American Horror Story’

Actor: Evan Peters

Tate Langdon, Kit Walker, Kyle “Frankenstein Boy” Spencer, and now Jimmy Darling. Evan Peters is a veteran of American Horror Story appearing in his fourth role this season. Jimmy Darling is introduced as the kind-faced boy looking for an escape from hiding behind the circus tents of the local freak show.

It’s tough to have a character establish himself in such a triumphant manner during the premiere episode of a series, but Evan Peters delivered that moment not once, but three times. Jimmy Darling’s sideshow life gives him a place to be himself, but it also deprives him any opportunity for a life away from the prying eye of the paying public. In the opening scenes, Jimmy challenges the leader of the troupe, Elsa, when she catches him out flirting in public, concealing his deformity. When he returns to the camp grounds, he pleads with his mother Ethel to seek a life outside the fair grounds. They can take the entire group and live off the land without anyone there to call them freaks or make them feel less than human.

Ryan Murphy has stated that the show is going to challenge audiences to see the human beneath the monster. While Jessica Lange may be putting together the band of curiosities, it is already clear that Evan Peters is leading them to a life of fulfillment. When a police officer threatens the newest members of their family, he wastes no time slicing his throat and banding the group together against the enemy. There is no more waiting for the freaks of the world. Under the leadership of Jimmy Darling, the freaks shall inherit the Earth, and Evan Peters is here to guide you to that realization.

Show: ‘Arrow’

Actor: Brandon Routh

His first appearance on Arrow may not have been the focus of the episode, but Brandon Routh did a great job of showing us just how formidable an opponent Ray Palmer will be for Oliver. While he doesn’t seem to be worthy of the Arrow’s attention (yet?), he certainly seems to be a more capable CEO than Oliver Queen ever dreamed of being. Ray Palmer presented himself as a man of vision, one that saw a future for Queen Consolidated and Starling City, and Brandon Routh’s performance stole every scene he was in.

In addition to his business acumen, Ray Palmer presents a threat to Oliver’s personal life as well. While Oliver Queen struggles to decide whether he can be both the man and the mask, Palmer is quickly trying to move in and steal away the IT girl that has proved instrumental to all things Queen. Brandon Routh’s chemistry with Emily Bett Rickards, who plays Ms. Smoak, was one of the highlights of an already stellar season premiere. Whether she was steering him toward the perfect piece of tech for his hacking hobby or describing to him just how far that porcupine farting noise gif of hers was embedded into his system, it is clear that this will not be the last time we see these two trading barbs.

No matter what may be in store for his character going on, Brandon Routh did a spectacular job of introducing us to who Ray Palmer is, and just what exactly he wants. Ray Palmer doesn’t just want to run Queen Consolidated. He wants to polish it into a beacon of hope for a struggling city, rename it, and steal away one of the most integral parts of Mr. Queen’s loyal comrades. We can’t wait to see what Mr. Routh can do with this character as he progresses this season, especially once things go atomic.